System level EDA tools allow a designer to model, simulate, and analyze systems. System level EDA tools such as Simulink® from MathWorks® allow designers to create, simulate, evaluate, and refine a system design model through standard and custom block libraries. Block libraries such as DSP Builder from Altera® Corporation provide digital signal processing (DSP) development tools that interface between system level EDA tools and hardware design flow tools that perform synthesis, placement, and routing.
When designing a system with a system level EDA tool, it is desirable to have the capability to utilize existing designs available written in HDL code. System level EDA tools and block libraries provide limited support for converting designs written in HDL code to a simulation model having a format compatible with the system level EDA tool. This makes it difficult for users to utilize existing designs written in HDL code. Some block libraries impose rules on HDL port declarations where certain signals need to be renamed in order for the block libraries to recognize the signals and make the appropriate connections in the simulation model. In addition, many of these block libraries also do not allow a user of the system level EDA tool to select how a simulation model of a design written in HDL code should be represented in the system level environment.
Thus, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for importing designs written in HDL code into a system level environment.